Shooting jacket



B. H. .STUMPF SHOOTING JACKET Oct. 24, 1967 Filed July 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H62. flmjzw /l Ami 3 ow! B. H. STUMPF SHOOTING JACKET Get. 24, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 1965 PIC-.3.

A l F United States Patent 3,348,746 SHOOTING JACKET Burton H. Stumpf, Waterloo, 111., assignor to Afico S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland, 21 Swiss corporation Filed July 29, 1965, Ser. No. 475,779 18 Claims. (Cl. 224-1) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A shooting jacket comprises a fabric body which is designed to be worn about the upper portion of a persons torso. A gun carrier frame is attached to the fabric body of the jacket. Part of this frame is inside of the fabric body and has a portion extending to the outside. A clip carried by the frame outside the fabric body opens downwardly and is adapted to reecive and limit upward movement of a portion of a un stock. Another portion of the gun stock is carried by a support member carried by the frame on the outside of the jacket below and forward of the clip. The support member has an adjustable flange at its outer end for limiting outward movement of the gun stock away from the torso of the person.

Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of a shooting or hunting jacket which is adapted to hold a gun (such as a shotgun or rifle) without the assistance of the individual wearing the jacket; the provision of a shooting jacket adapted for carrying guns having stock forearms of various widths, and to such a jacket wherein the gun may be firmly and safely carried by the jacket itself, thereby freeing the hands and arms of the wearer of the jacket; the provision of a shooting jacket adapted to carry a gun wherein portions of the jacket holding the weight of the gun are on the inside of the jacket and may be firmly supported by the body while the portions of the jacket which receive the gun are on the outside of the jacket; the provision of a shooting jacket adapted to carry a gun inclined at various inclinations relative to the horizon; and the provision of an improved gun carrier for a hunting jacket or the like wherein the forestock of a gun may be firmly gripped by the carrier. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated,

FIG. 1 is a view showing a person wearing a shooting jacket made according to this invention and illustrating a gun supported by the jacket;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the outside of a portion of the jacket shown in FIG. 1 with the gun removed;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken from inside the jacket;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section showing the gun support member.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

The term shooting jacket as used herein includes (but is not limited to) a vest, coat or other garment suitable for use by a hunter, skeet shooter, marksman, rifleman or others who on occasion carry a rifle, shotgun or other similar weapon having a gun stock.

A shooting jacket made according to the invention is shown in the drawings to comprise a fabric body generally designated 1 which is adapted to be worn on the upper portion of the torso of an individual shown at 3. The fabric body 1 has a front 5 connected to a back 7 along sides 9 and shoulders 11. The front 5 may be open for placing the jacket about the body. Between the sides 9 and shoulders 11 there are arm holes 13 which accommodate the arms of the wearer. The body of the jacket shown in the drawings is a short-sleeve vest style garment but it will 'be understood that the body may be styled as a long sleeve jacket, coat or other style of garment.

A gun carrier generally designated 15 is attached to one of the sides 9 of the fabric body 1 and constitutes a permanent part of the jacket. The gun carrier 15 includes a frame generally designated 17 which is shown to comprise a lower transverse rigid arm 19 in a plane parallel to and spaced from an upper transverse rigid arm 21. The arms are joined by an upright brace or frame member 23. The arms and brace are preferably composed of metal suitably covered for comfort with a facing material such as cloth, leather or the like.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lower arm 19 is curved and projects beyond arm 21 at its forward end to conform generally to the configuration of the hip or waist at the side and front of the individual wearing the jacket. The lower arm 19 of the frame 17 is positioned inside of the fabric body of the jacketand next to the wearer so that arm 19 is located at the waist of the wearer, or at the hip just below the waist. The arm 21 projects beyond the rear end of arm 19 and is curved inwardly (particularly at its rear end) so that it generally conforms to the body of the wearer at his side and along his back. Thus the arrangement and shape of the arms 19 and 21 is such that the gun carrier may be comfortably positioned against one side of the wearer. It will be understood that the curvatures of the arms may vary for people of different sizes or shapes.

Frame 17 further includes a bar 25 pivoted at 27 to the rear portion of upper arm 21. An end of bar 25 is anchored at 29 to an intermediate portion of the brace of frame members 23 by a bolt 29. As shown in FIG. 3, there is preferably at least one extra hole 31 in the brace 23 for bolt 29 so that the bar 25 may be swung about its pivot 27 and anchored at various positions on the brace 23. This adjusts the location of the other end of the bar 25.

The frame 17 of the gun carrier is held against the body of the individual 3 wearing it by the exterior fabric body 1 and by a harness generally designated 35 which is attached to the frame 17 of the gun carrier. Harness 35 comprises a fabric strap 37 which has one end anchored to the front end of arm 21 (its left end as viewed in FIG. 3). Attached to the free end of strap 37 is one end of a thong or tether 39. The other end of tether 39 is adapted to be tied to the free end of a tie 41 anchored to the end 19A of arm 19. Another tie or tether 43 is attached to the rear end portion of arm 21 and to the strap 37 intermediate its ends. Ties 41, 43 can be attached to frame 17 by tying a knot (FIG. 4) in an end of the ties and then threading the other ends through holes in the arms.

In fitting the harness 35 to an individual, the arm of the individual is passed between strap 37 and the frame 17 of the gun carrier so that strap 37 extends from a position at the front right side of the individual up over his shoulder and then downwardly at an angle across the upper and middle portions of the back. The tie 43 extends beneath the same arm and partially around the back of the individual. Tie 39 extends across the back and left side of the individual substantially at the waist and tie 41 passes in front of the stomach of the individual at the waist. Tie 39 and/or tie 41 may be looped under the belt of the individual wearing the jacket and the free ends. of ties 39 and 41 are then tied at the waist to hold the gun carrier frame 17 firmly in the desired position. The harness may be adjusted for various size individuals by adjusting the connections of ties 41 and 43 to frame 17 and by varying the position at which ties 39 and 41 are tied together. The arrangement of harness 35 is such that it overcomes any tendency of the gun carrier or jacket to pull away from the individual at the side which carries the gun.

The end portion of bar 25 opposite from its inside connection to the brace 23 projects through a slot 45 in the fabric body 1 adjacent to the arm hole 13. With the exception of this end portion of bar 25, the frame 17 is located wholly within the fabric body 1. Thus it is mainly in a position protected from weather and does not interfere with the exterior styling of the jacket. A generally U-shape spring clip 47 is attached to the projecting end of bar 25. Clip 47 faces downwardly (FIG. 4) and it is dimensioned so that the butt end 49 of the stock 51 of a gun may be forced upwardly into the clip for holding the gun in the position illustrated in FIG. 1.

There is a gun stock support member 53 projecting outwardly from the outside of the fabric body 1 in spaced relation to clip 47. Support member 53 as shown in FIG. 1 is below and forward of the clip 47. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the gun stock support member 53 comprises a generally cylindrical inner core 55. Core 55 has a threaded passageway which receives the end of the bolt 29 for attaching the support member to frame 17. The core 55 may be covered with a sleeve 57 of leather or other soft material to prevent scratching of the gun stock. The outer ends of core 55 and sleeve 57 are cut on the bias as indicated at 59 to provide a surface which is inclined relative to the longitudinal axis of the core and sleeve.

Abutting the face 59 is a circular flange or disc 61 which is secured to core 55 by a bolt 63 passing through the center of the flange. The disc or flange 61 is preferably rigid and may also he covered with leather or other soft material. Flange 61 projects beyond the periphery of the sleeve 57 on core 55, thereby providing a narrow wedge shape space between the inner surface of flange 61 and the adjacent surface of the fabric body 1 immediately outside of the frame member 23 of the gun carrier.

In using the jacket, the forestock 65 of a gun is cradled in the support member with the lower portion of the stock resting on the sleeve 57 and with the flange61 located alongside the forestock to limit horizontal movement of the stock. By loosening bolt 29, the core 55, sleeve 57 and flange 61 may be rotated 360 about the axis of bolt 29, thereby permitting adjustment of these parts throughout a range of positions, two of which are illustrated in the solid and dottedline positionsin FIG. 5. This adjustment varies the spacing between the fabric body 1 and the frame 17 of the gun carrier and the flange 61, thereby adjusting the gun support member for receiving guns having forestocks of various widths. Also, by means of this rotation the flange 61 can be placed into tight contact with the outer surface of forestock 65 to grip it and thereby resist movement of the gun while it is held by the gun carrier portion of the jacket. This clamping feature, together with the clipping of the butt end of the stock by the clip 47 permits the gun to be held in the position illustrated in FIG. 1 with the trigger guard of the gun spaced from the gun support member 53. As a result, the gun can be located with the center of gravity substantially at the gun support member 53 to better balance the gun on its carrier.

By moving the bolt 29 from the location shown in FIG. 3 to the lower hole 31 in the frame member 23, the gun support member 53 can be vertically adjusted. This movement also varies the inclination of the bar 25 which holds clip 47, thereby moving the clip 47. This adjustment varies the angle of inclination of the gun in the carrier. When bolt 29 is in the lower hole 31, the

4 end of the barrel of the gun will be lowered (as viewed in FIG. 1) and the butt end 51 of the stock will be elevated.

In putting on the jacket, it is first placed about the body by passing the right arm through arm hole 13 and beneath the strap 37 of harness 35 forwardly of the tie 43. The left arm is placed through the other arm hole on the left side 9 of the fabric body. Then the ties 39 and 41 are brought together at the front of the body of the individual 3 wearing the jacket andthey are tied, preferably after looping one of the ties beneath the belt of the wearer. It will be understood that buttons, zippers or the like (not shown) may be provided at the front of the jacket for closing the 1 front of the jacket in a conventional manner. The jacket is then ready to receive a gun for exterior support.

Forestock 65 of the gun is placed on sleeve 57 of the gun support member with the balance point of the gun being at or slightly forward of the gun support member. Then the butt end 49 of the stock 51 is swung upwardly into clip 47 which grips the butt end of the stock. When the center of gravity of the gun is forward of the gun support member 53, the gun support member 53 acts as a pivot and the weight of the gun tends to hold the barrel down and lift the butt end 49 of the stock. If desired, the gun support member may be rotated about its axis to place the flange or disc 61 in a location relative to the frame 17 of the gun carrier whereby the stock is wedged between flange 61 and the frame for tightly gripping the gun in place. Much of the weight of the gun is carried by the hip through arm 19. With the gun mounted on the gun carrier portion of the shooting jacket, the hands of the wearer are free, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The combination of the gun carrier and the harness with the covering fabric body 1 provides a garment which properly holds the gun at a safe angle and the weight of the gun is well distributed throughout the harness and fabric portion 1 of the garment, thereby substantially preventing any tendency of the gun carrier to pull away from the wearer. Moreover, much of the carrier is protectively covered by the jacket-forming fabric. Interference with styling of the latter is minimized.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A shooting jacket having a fabric body adapted to be worn on the upper portion of the torso, and a gun carrier, secured to the body, the gun carrier comprising a frame attached to the fabric body of the jacket and having a portion extending from the inside to the outside of the fabric body, a gun stock clip on the portion of said frame outside the fabric body, and the gun carrier having a gun stock support member projecting outwardly from the fabric body in spaced relation to the clip and positioned so that it is below and forward of the clip when the jacket is worn, said gun stock support member being shaped to provide support for the lower and outer portions of a gun stock.

2. A shooting jacket as set forth in claim 1 wherein the gun carrier frame is adjustable for locating the clip at various positions relative to the gun stock support mem ber.

3. A shooting jacket as set forth in claim .1 wherein the fabric body comprises a front and a back joined by shoulders and sides, the body having arm holes, the clip being adjacent the arm holes at one side of the body and the support member projecting from the lower forwardportion of the same side of the body.

4. A shooting jacket as set forth in claim 1 further including a harness secured to the gun carrier inside the fabric body and adapted to be secured to the torso for holding the gun carrier against the torso.

5. A shooting jacket having a fabric body adapted to be worn on the upper portion of the torso, the body having a front, a back, sides and shoulders, the body having arm holes at the upper portion of the sides, and a gun carrier secured to the body, the gun carrier comprising a frame having a lower arm and an upper arm fixed in spaced relation to each other, the frame being attached to one side of the fabric body of the jacket with the arms inside the jacket, the frame further comprising a bar extending from the inside to the outside of the fabric body adjacent the arm hole at the one side of the body, a gun stock clip on the portion of said bar outside the fabric body for receiving the outer end portion of a gun stock, and the gun carrier having a gun stock support member secured to a portion of the frame inside the fabric body and projecting outwardly from the outer surface of the fabric body in spaced relation to the clip, the gun stock support member being below and forward of the clip when the jacket is worn, said gun stock support member having a flange at its outer end portion for limiting outward movement of a gun stock resting on the support member.

6. A shooting jacket as set forth in claim 5 wherein the support member includes a cylindrical part connecting the flange to the frame, and the flange of the support member is at an angle to the frame to provide a Wedge shape space for cradling the gun stock.

7. A shooting jacket as set forth in claim 6 wherein the flange is rotatable for adjusting the width of the space at the top of the support member.

8. A shooting jacket as set forth in claim 5 further including a harness for holding the frame positioned against the torso, thereby partially relieving the fabric body of the weight of the carrier and a gun supported by it.

9. A shooting jacket as set forth in claim 8 wherein portions of the harness extend from one part of the frame over a shoulder of the wearer, across his back and around one side and his stomach to another part of the frame.

10. A shooting garment comprising a jacket having back, side and front portions, means for closing together said front portions, said side portions having armholes therein, a rigid frame support located within one of the side portions below its arm-hole and shaped substantially to rest upon and conform to the body of a wearer, first gun-supporting means extending from said support to the outside of the jacket portion to support the forestock of a gun, and second gun-supporting means extending from said support to the outside of the jacket portion to support the butt end of a gun.

11. A shooting garment according to claim 10, wherein said first and second gun-support means are adjustable in position to vary the angle of support of the gun.

12. A shooting garment according to claim 10, wherein said frame support is constituted by a lower transverse bearing arm, an upper transverse bearing arm rigidly connected by an upright arm and an angled bar pivoted to said upper bearing arm, and anchor means for anchoring the lowering end of said angled bar to the upright arm, the other end of said angled bar extending through an opening in the jacket portion, its outside extension supporting said rearward support for the gun butt.

13. A shooting garment according to claim 12, wherein said anchor means also anchors the support for the forestock of the gun and is adjustable on the upright support into various anchoring positions so as variously to angle said angular support.

14. A shooting garment according to claim 13, including a shoulder strap extending from the front portion of the upper arm for positioning around the back of a wearer, first tie means extending from the front portion of the lower arm, adjustable tie means between a mid portion of said strap and the rear portion of the upper arm, and tie means extending from the other end of the strap for tying with said first tie means around the front of a wearer.

15. A gun carrier comprising a frame having a lower arm spaced from an upper arm, the lower arm being adapted to rest against the hip at one side of the wearer beneath the arm, the frame further comprising a bar having one end portion projecting above an end portion of the upper arm, a U-shape gun stock clip attached to said one end portion of the bar so that it opens downwardly when the carrier is being worn, a gun stock support member attached to the frame and projecting outwardly therefrom in spaced relation to the clip, the support member having a center portion on which the stock of a gun may rest and a flange at the outer end portion for engaging the stock of a gun to hold it between the flange and the frame, and means for holding the carrier on the wearer, an intermediate portion of said bar being pivoted on said upper arm of said frame, and the other end portion of the bar being adjustably anchored to said frame whereby the location of said clip may be varied by adjusting the place at which said other end portion of the bar is anchored on the frame.

16. A gun carrier as set forth in claim 15 wherein the means for holding the carrier on the wearer comprises a harness attached to said frame and adapted to pass around the torso of the wearer.

17. A gun carrier as set forth in claim 16 wherein the means for holding the carrier on the wearer further compises a fabric body attached to the frame and adapted to be worn about the upper portion of the torso.

18. A gun carrier comprising a frame having a lower arm spaced from an upper arm, the lower arm being adapted to rest against the hip at one side of the wearer beneath the arm, the frame further comprising a bar having one end portion projecting above an end portion of the upper arm, a U-shape gun stock clip attached to said one end portion of the bar so that it opens downwardly when the carrier is being worn, a gun stock support member attached to the frame and projecting outwardly therefrom in spaced relation to the clip, the support member having a center portion on which the stock of a gun may rest and a flange at the outer end portion for engaging the stock of a gun to hold it between the flange and the frame, means for holding the carrier on the wearer, the center portion of the support member being generally cylindrical in shape, and the flange of the support member being a disc mounted on the outer end of the cylindrical center portion, the plane of the disc being nonperpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical center portion, and the disc being rotatable to vary the spacing between it and the portion of the frame to which the center portion of the support member is attached.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,423,531 7/1947 Thei s 224-1 X 3,155,297 11/1964 Stumpf 2241 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD J. SCANLAN, JR., Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,348,746 October 24, 1967 Burton H. Stumpf ears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified that error app ent should read as ent requiring correction and that the said Letters Pat corrected below.

In the heading to the printed specification, lines 3 and 4, for Burton Stumpf, Waterloo, 111., assignor to Afico S. A. Lausanne, Switzerland, a Swiss corporation" read Burton H. Stumpf, 408 Morrison, Waterloo, I11. 62298 Signed and sealed this 3rd day of December 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Ir.

Attesting Officer 

15. A GUN CARRIER COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING A LOWER ARM SPACED FROM AN UPPER ARM, THE LOWER ARM BEING ADAPTED TO REST AGAINST THE HIP AT ONE SIDE OF THE WEARER BENEATH THE ARM, THE FRAME FURTHER COMPRISING A BAR HAVING ONE END PORTION PROJECTING ABOVE AN END PORTION OF THE UPPER ARM, A U-SHAPE GUN STOCK CLIP ATTACHED TO SAID ONE END PORTION OF THE BAR SO THAT IT OPENS DOWNWARDLY WHEN THE CARRIER IS BEING WORN, A GUN STOCK SUPPORT MEMBER ATTACHED TO THE FRAME AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM IN SPACED RELATION TO THE CLIP, THE SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A CENTER PORTION ON WHICH THE STOCK OF A GUN MAY REST AND A FLANGE AT THE OUTER END PORTION FOR ENGAGING THE STOCK OF A GUN TO HOLD IT BETWEEN THE FLANGE AND THE FRAME, AND MEANS FOR HOLDING THE CARRIER ON THE WEARER, AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID BAR BEING PIVOTED ON SAID UPPER ARM OF SAID FAME, AND THE OTHER END PORTION OF THE BAR BEING ADJUSTBALY ANCHORED TO SAID FRAME WHEREBY THE LOCATION OF SAID CLIP MAY BE VARIED FRAME WHEREBY THE LOCATION OF SAID CLIP MAY BE VARIED OF THE BAR IS ANCHORED ON THE FRAME. 